On July 11, the Promote the Vote 2022 campaign submitted 669,972 signatures to the secretary of state to qualify for the Michigan ballot this November. The measure would make multiple changes to voting and elections in Michigan, including policies around absentee voting, early voting, voter identification, and election audits.
The signature requirement to qualify for the ballot is 425,059 valid signatures – which equals 10 percent of the votes cast for governor in the 2018 gubernatorial election.
“Together, we’re going to ensure that every vote will count, and that Michigan’s elections will continue to be safe, secure, and fair,” said Micheal Davis, the executive director of Promote the Vote 2022.
After being filed with the secretary of state, the measure will go through a process of signature validation, which is done by the board of state canvassers using a random sampling method.
If certified for the ballot and approved by voters this November, the measure would:
- amend the Michigan Constitution to provide voters with a right to vote without harassment, interference, or intimidation.
- require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day.
- require photo ID or signed affidavit to vote.
- provide voters with a right to use a single application to vote absentee in all elections.
- require state-funded postage for absentee applications and ballots.
- require one state-funded absentee ballot drop box for every municipality, or one drop box per 15,000 registered voters in larger municipalities.
- provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits.
- require nine days of early in-person voting.
- allow publicly-disclosed charitable donations and in-kind contributions to fund elections.
- require canvass boards to certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.
If the initiative is certified for the ballot, it will join at least one other measure currently on the ballot – a constitutional amendment to change term limits requirements for state legislators and financial disclosure requirements for state executive and legislative officials.
Another campaign, Reproductive Freedom for All, also submitted signatures on July 11 to qualify a constitutional amendment to provide a state constitutional right to abortion in Michigan.
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